Administration of Hunter Education

In Montana, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is responsible for administering hunter education courses and managing wildlife. Both classroom courses and an online course are available to students.

Classroom Courses

Montana hunter education classroom courses are free to participants. Most volunteer instructors are hunters who are dedicating their time to make sure you get a good start as a hunter. Even though the instructors are volunteers, hunter education still costs money because manuals and other class materials are not free. Much of the money for wildlife management and hunter education comes from a tax placed on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

Online Course

The course material is available for you to study freely. However, to obtain your Hunter Education Certificate, you will need to pay the fees after successfully passing the course if you were born on or before January 1, 1985. For hunters born after January 1, 1985, the certificate is received after successfully completing the Field Day.